Chapter 189

Chapter 189

Marcus stood before them, his hands hanging at his sides. His lips were pressed into a line.

"Mr. Edward, I've checked this server. It's not connected to the external network—all operations must be completed through a local terminal. Physical access is only granted to three people."

He paused. "That would be you, William, and Brandon."

The corridor was quiet for a few seconds. The overhead lights emitted a faint buzzing.

"Brandon has been detained," Charlotte spoke first.

"Correct." Marcus nodded. "I've reviewed the detention center's surveillance records. He hasn't had access to any external communication devices since his arrest. He can be ruled out."

"What about the butler, Orval?"

"Orval has served the Edward family for forty years. The basement access records show his last entry was eight months ago, accompanying William to retrieve something. But strictly speaking, he holds all the keys to the Edward Manor, including the basement."

"The possibility of remote access," Charlotte interjected. "Could someone have infiltrated this server from outside?"

Marcus shook his head. "I had the technical team run a comprehensive check. ZN-0042 is an old server from the nineties—no network card, no Wi-Fi module, not even Bluetooth. Data transfer can only be done through physical media—either direct terminal operation or copying with an external hard drive. In other words, whoever sent that signal had to be there in person. Standing in front of that server. Personally pressing the command."

Charlotte's hands were in her work jacket pockets, her fingers slowly clenching and releasing, over and over.

"Marcus," Charles spoke.

"Yes."

"The access card records for ZN-0042, pull the last three months, accurate to the minute."

"I'm already working on it. But the Edward Manor basement's access system is also old—records are only stored on the local hard drive, not connected to external storage. I need to send someone to the Edward Manor."

"Don't go." Charles cut him off. Marcus looked up at him.

"We can't alert them now." Charles leaned back against the wall. "If anyone goes to the Edward Manor to check access records, it'll reach William's ears within an hour."

Charlotte pulled out her phone. "Felix can remotely access Edward Manor's security camera system."

She lit up the screen. "No need to enter. Just pull the surveillance footage from the basement entrance corridor, and we can see who went in at what times."

Marcus turned to look at her. He glanced at Charles's expression and swallowed his words.

"Let her people check," Charles said.

Charlotte dialed Felix's encrypted number. The call connected after one ring.

"The Edward Manor security system and basement entrance corridor surveillance. Pull all footage from the last three months."

"Give me twenty minutes."

She hung up. Charlotte walked to Michael's hospital room door and looked through the observation window. Michael was curled on the bed, wrapped tightly in the blanket. The numbers on the heart monitor were stable. She returned to the corridor.

Charles sat on the floor without moving. His head rested against the wall, eyes closed. His breathing was slower than before. The fever was breaking, but the consequences of physical exhaustion were showing. His right hand rested on his knee, occasionally trembling uncontrollably.

Charlotte sat down against the opposite wall. The two sat facing each other across the corridor, the now-cold cup of water between them.

"How much do you know about William?"

Five seconds of silence.

"He founded the Edward Group in the sixties, building it from a small hardware shop to today's scale." Charles's voice was low. "Before I turned twelve, he was the most patient person I'd ever met."

He paused. "But after I turned twelve, he became the most unfamiliar person I'd ever met."

Charlotte's phone vibrated. Felix.

She answered and put it on speaker.

"Boss, I've pulled the footage. I screened everyone who appeared in the basement entrance corridor over the past three months."

"Give me the results."

"Eleven card swipes in total. Eight were the butler Orval, all in the morning, never staying more than ten minutes—likely routine inspections."

"The remaining three were all the same person, all between 2 and 4 AM. Each stay lasted between forty-five minutes and an hour and a half."

Charlotte gripped the phone tightly. "Who?"

"The surveillance footage resolution isn't great, but the build, gait, and height," Felix took a deep breath, "are highly consistent with William."

The air in the corridor froze.

Charles's eyes opened. He stared at the ceiling, motionless. His eyes held no anger, no shock, no disbelief. Only a long-standing silence, compressed until deformed. That silence was more terrifying than any expression.

Charlotte hung up and stood. She walked to Charles and crouched down.

"Charles."

He didn't look at her.

"You need to make a decision now."

His gaze moved from the ceiling to her face.

Charlotte's phone vibrated again in her pocket. She pulled it out and glanced at it. Caller ID: William.

She turned the screen toward Charles.

Charles looked at the name. The phone rang four times. On the fifth ring, Charles reached out and took it.

"Grandfather."

An elderly but steady voice came through. "Charles. I heard you took a trip. How are you feeling?"

"Alright."

"I had Orval prepare that beef stew you loved as a child. Bring Charlotte back to Edward Manor for a visit. Let's discuss Brandon's situation."

Charles's fingers tightened on the phone's back.

"Dinner is ready." William's voice came through the receiver with a hint of laughter. "Come early."

The call ended. Charles held the phone, his arm hanging by his knee. Charlotte crouched before him, waiting for him to speak.

After ten seconds, Charles's lips moved, his voice compressed so only the two of them could hear.

"He never calls me on his own initiative. The last time he called me back like this was when I was twelve." He paused. "Afterward, I was locked in the basement for three days."

"Then don't go," Charlotte said.

Charles placed the phone on his knee, the screen already dark.

"I have to go back."

Charlotte looked up.

Charles braced himself against the wall and stood. The movement pulled at the sutures on his left shoulder. His arm stiffened for a moment, but his steps didn't stop.

"If he's calling me personally, he knows about Everett." Charles walked to the observation window of Michael's room and looked inside. "If I don't go, he'll come looking differently. Then the initiative won't be in my hands."

Charlotte stood up from the floor. The butterfly tape on her left shoulder came loose with the movement. She pressed the wound, making no sound.

"Marcus."

"Yes."

"Assign two more guards to Michael's room. While we're gone, no one is allowed on this floor, including the hospital director."

"Understood."

Charlotte walked to the room door and pushed it open a crack. Michael hadn't woken. He was curled in the blanket, the green dots on the heart monitor jumping at a steady pace in the darkness. She watched for three seconds and closed the door.